If you are intrigued about Elisabeth Fritzl, the girl in the basement, let us fill you in on all the information about where she is now or has recovered from the trauma that nearly ruined her life.
The Case Of Elisabeth Fritzl
The whole Fritzl case is horrifying, gruesome, and disturbing. It is about a controlling father who locked up his own daughter in the basement of his apartment for 24 years.
He was not only a controlling father, but he was a brutal one who traumatized Elisabeth Fritzl for her entire life.
How It Started
The story emerged in 1984 when a girl named Elisabeth Fritzl disappeared in Austria and her mother, Rosemarie, reported that to police.
After the missing case was filed, her father gave a handwritten letter by Elisabeth Fritzl to the police.
In that letter, it was mentioned that Elisabeth was fed up with the life she had in her house, and she left her parents to stay at her friend’s place.
Additionally, she urged her parents in the letter not to ever search for her or else the consequences would be dire.
Her father, Fritzl, stated to authorities that his daughter, Elisabeth, had most likely become a cult member, which was a lie.
In reality, everything was different. During Elisabeth’s enslavement, her father was the one who had coerced her to write a fake letter.
What Really Happened
Fritzl kept his daughter, Elisabeth, in the underground room and visited almost every day, or at least three times a week, for the following 24 years.
He used to bring food and supplies and relentlessly r*ped her. Throughout her confinement, Elisabeth got pregnant with seven children.
One of the children died soon after delivery, while three others, Lisa, Monika, and Alexander, were taken from the basement as newborns to live with Fritzl’s wife.
Later, they had been authorized as foster parents by local social services. According to officials, Fritzl realistically detailed how three of his baby grandchildren were upon his doorway.
Social workers visited the family regularly and found nothing to raise their worries. Also, they never heard anything.
Elisabeth was the one who taught the kids how to read and write. Fritzl would sometimes punish them by switching off their electricity or delaying supplying meals for days.
A 12-year resident reported hearing sounds coming from the basement, to which Fritzl always told him that was because of faulty pipes or the gas heating system.
Fritzl r*ped her as well as forced her to view pornographic videos, which he humiliated her by having her replay with him in front of her children.
How the Case Was Made Public
The Fritzl case first came to light in 2008, when a lady called Elisabeth Fritzl informed authorities in Amstetten, Lower Austria, claiming her father, Josef Fritzl, had kept her slave for 24 years.
Throughout her enslavement in a secret place in the basement of the house, Fritzl had frequently attacked, threatened, sexually molested, and r*ped her in front of her children.
Josef Fritzl was arrested on charges of false imprisonment, rpe, negligent manslaughter, including incst. He was sentenced to life imprisonment after pleading guilty to all charges in March 2009.
Where Is Elisabeth Fritzl Now?
When Elisabeth was kidnapped at the hands of her own father, she was 18 years old, and when she was released in 2008, she was 42 years old.
Her eldest child, whom she had given birth to, required immediate hospitalization. As a consequence, her father gave Elisabeth permission to take the kid to the hospital.
That was the first time Elisabeth had seen daylight in her 24 years of life. She was swiftly escorted down to the basement along with her children.
But there was something fishy. A strange letter left by Josef Fritzl piqued the medical staff’s interest, which they notified the authorities about, prompting the police to show up.
Elisabeth Fritzl and her children were eventually found in the basement and were saved. She and her children were taken into state custody and then sent to a place in Northern Austria.
They underwent counseling there. At first, psychologists suggested lifetime counseling owing to the trauma they had all experienced, which was painful for them.
After multiple sessions with the psychologists, Elisabeth was given a new name but also adopted a new identity.
To avoid past traumas and reminiscing about the hurtful memories, Elisabeth is recommended by the doctors to live with her children in a bright and well-lit home.
Her children currently range in age from 17 to 35 years old. Two of the six youngsters suffered and were diagnosed with severe anxiety and panic attacks.
Due to their previous lifestyle, the family of Elisabeth all had a difficult time recovering. They were maintained on high doses of mood-altering medicines, exercise, and diet regimens while recovering.
Their two-story home is constantly monitored by CCTV and guarded by security guards. Any suspicious person or a stranger seen prowling close can expect to be detained by police immediately.
Aftermath
Her connection with her mother, Rosemarie, was more difficult to mend. It was impossible for Elisabeth to imagine she had no notion she had been enslaved beneath her feet.
As a consequence of staying in the windowless basement, all of the children who were kept with her had complex medical conditions, such as Vitamin D insufficiency and bad posture.
Doctors are believed to have installed a cargo container outside for Fritzl’s victims to go there if sunlight and open areas are too traumatizing.
Elisabeth Found True Love
Elisabeth has managed to overcome her tragedy and have a better life as she has found her love of life.
She survived against all obstacles, retained her sanity, and raised her children under awful conditions along with life traumas.
In 2009, it was disclosed that Elisabeth had fallen in love with Thomas Wagner, a bodyguard given to her by the Austrian corporation A&T Securities.
Thomas and Elisabeth have 23 years of age gap, he has moved in with her and her children. One of the doctors said that the romance had made her overcome her prior experiences.
It happened all of a sudden and barely a year after she was released. Both are said to be content with their lives.
